Dispensing closure



Jan. 22, 1957 A. SAVARY 2,778,533

DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed July 6, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 mR/VEY 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 6 1951 Jan. 22, 1957 A. SAVARY I 2,778,533

DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed July 6, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 B, V mnQu-M Jan. 22, 1957 A. SAVARY 2,778,533

DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed July 6, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 TUBE F/L L I/VG HOP/ 5x? 77/55 BEING 2 INVENTOR flxvaef say/7k;

ATTORN E Y 1957 A. SAVARY 2,773,533

DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed July 6, 1951 6 Shets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEY Jan. 22, 1957 A. SAVARY 2,778,533

DISPENSING CLOSURE Filed July 6, 1951 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 4 INVENTOR BY QLAJRQMM ATTORNEY United States Patent DISPENSING CLOSURE Andre Savary, Castagnola Tessin, Switzerland Application July 6, 1951, Serial No. 235,508

2 Claims. (Cl. 222-92) This application relates to end formations and closures for receptacles, and particularly for collapsible tubes such as toothpaste tubes and the like, and to a method and apparatus for making the same.

In my copending application, Serial Number 211,261, filed February 16, 1951, now Patent No. 2,757,824, issued August 7, 1956, 1 have shown and described an invention pertaining to dispensing closures, certain embodiments of which are pointed out as being particularly useful with collapsible tubes. In those embodiments, the tube has an axially extending neck upon which is mounted a closure having a thin, rupturable sealing wall and a sealing part or cap permanently attached to the closure by a flexible connection which may be integral with both the closure and the sealing cap. The rupturable sealing wall seals the contents of the tube until it is ruptured at the initial placing in use, and thereafter the sealing cap is used for sealing the dispensing openmg.

According to an important object of the present invention, the tube neck is eliminated, and the dispensing closure is formed, by molding, directly on the end of the tube.

This closure thus forms the end wall of the tube, and it has an integral, rupturable sealing wall portion, and a sealing part or cap permanently secured against loss by means of a flexible connection molded integrally with the closure and the cap.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a molding method for forming the article, and apparatus for carrying out the method. The apparatus includes means for molding the structure automatically as a part of the tube filling apparatus, and the provision of molding apparatus adapted to be part of a tube filling machine comprises a further object of the invention.

These and other objects of the invention will be more apparent from a study of the following specification when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig 1 shows a section through one form of molding apparatus;

Fig. 2 shows a section through modified form of apparatus with the mold closed;

Fig. 3 is similar to Fig. 2 but with the mold open and with the molded cap and end wall of the container being withdrawn;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through a container provided with the integral end wall and closure cap, the rupturable sealing wall having been removed;

Fig. 5 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a machine set up for molding end closures in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 6 is a somewhat schematic perspective view of a machine for molding end caps;

Fig. 7 is a more complete view of apparatus of the general type shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is an exploded detail view in perspective of ap- 2,778,533 Patented Jan. 22, 1957 ice paratus similar to Fig. 7, wherein the filling and molding operations are combined in a single machine;

Fig. 9 is a sectional view taken through the molding apparatus of Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view showing the molding appaparatus of Figs. 8 and 9 in closed position.

Turning now to the drawings in greater detail, Fig. 1 shows a molding arrangement in which mold parts 1 and 2 cooperate with a male mold member 3 to clamp a tube blank 4 in place with the tapered end portions 5 of the blank located in a mold cavity. It is to be noted here that the axis of the male member 3 extends generally in the same direction as the cooperating faces of the mold members 1 and 2. By injecting molding material through passages 6 and 7 in male member 3, an end Wall and dispensing passage forming piece 8 is formed directly on thetube blank. Piece 8 has an integral, rupturable sealing wall 8a which seals the dispensing passage prior to the initial placing in use of the container, and it also has a closure cap 8!) attached to piece 8 by an integral con nection 8c which is formed during the same molding operation. As shown in Figure 4, after rupture of the sealing wall 811, cap 8b is used for closing the dispensing passage.

The mold members 1 and 2 of Figure 1 may beconsidered as vertically disposed, while horizontally disposed molding apparatus is shown in Figures 2 and 3. Here, mold members 10 and 11 cooperate with a male member 16 extending transversely to the meeting faces of 10 and 11. Lower member 11 has an opening 11a for receiving the end of the tube blank and for defining the outer configuration of the base portion of the container end wall 19 which is to be molded. The upper member 10 is separable from the lower member and has in its lower surface a cavity ltla defining the outer configuration of the upper portion of the end structure 19. Male member 16 is inserted in the tube blank and de fines with the members 10 and 11 a cavity into which the tube blank extends.

The upper and lower members 10 and 11 also have spaced wall portions at 14a defining a cavity for forming a cap 14. The wall portions 14a are spaced from the main end structure forming cavity, and the upper and lower members 10 and 11 have spaced wall portions at 15a defining a channel connecting the cap forming cavity and the end structure forming cavity, this channel serving to form an integral connecting strip between cap 14 and end wall 19.

The male member 16 has a hollow interior at 1'7 and at least one passage 18 connecting its hollow interior 17 with the main end wail forming cavity when the mold is in closed or assembled condition. It is through cavity 17 and passages 18 that molding material is injected into the mold.

Male member 16 has a nose portion 16a of diminished diameter extending into the cavity Na in upper member 10, with the tip of the nose spaced a short distance from the corresponding surface of the upper member, thereby defining a dispensing passage through the end structure 19 and a sealing wall 20 integral with end structure 19 and closing the upper or outer end of thedispensing passage.

Upper mold member 10 carries a piston 13 extending into the cap forming cavity 14 to define the interior configuration of the cap. Piston 13 is movable relative to the upper mold member, the piston resting on a coil spring 12 surrounding it, so that as the upper mold member 10 is moved upwardly, the piston lags behind and assists in separating the parts. The coil spring is substantially free of load when the piston and upper mold member are in their molding positions.

In operation, the members are assembled as in Figure 2 and molding material injected through passages 18. After the material is firm, the upper mold is moved upwardly and male member 16 moved downwardly as in Figure 3, the tube' and closure 19,20, 15, 1 being withdrawn with the male member, from which they are then removed.

Figure 7 shows schematically a machine'in which the molding of Figures 2 and 3 is combined'with the tube filling. In Figure 7, 25 is a plate which rotates and carries tubes 26 to a molding device 27 and then to a tube filling device 28. More detail is shown in Figures 8-10, wherein the rotation of plate 25 is in the opposite direction, and the pcsitions of the molding parts are generally inverted with regard to the corresponding parts in Figures 2 and 3. The manner of injecting molding material also diifers somewhat from Figures 2 and 3, the molding'material being injected through what would correspond to an opening (not shown) in the upper mold 10 in axial alignment with male member 16.

Turning now to Figures 8-10 in greater detail, it isseen that the tubes 26 are set in rings 28 which hold them upright, and which correspond generally to member 11 in Figures 2 and 3. The function of the member 10 of Figures 2 and 3 is served by a projecting part 29 which cooperates with a piston 30, ring 28, and an intermediate matrix 31 located just below plate 25 to define the mold cavity with its various parts. It is noted from Figure 10 that the end of tube 26 may be bent back inwardly to provide a more secure hold for the molded end part.

Mold part 29 carries a movable piston 32 which corresponds to piston 13. This mold part also has an axial passage 33 adapted to communicate with the molding cavity, and at its lower end part 29 has a nozzle receiving, tapering bore 34 into which is placed a nozzle 35 having a mating outer configuration and also having an axial passage 36 aligned with passage 33.

With the parts and tube blank assembled as in Figure 10, molding material is injected through a cylinder 37 which carries nozzle 35, the material passing through passages 36 and 33 into the molding cavity where the tube end wall. is formed directly on the end or" the tube' blank, the end wall having an integral, rupturable sealing wall and a closure cap attached to the end wall by an intergral connection as explained above.

After the end wall and associated parts are formed, the mold parts below plate 25 are moved downwardly and piston 30 withdrawn upwardly, leaving the tube and its end wall, etc., in ring 28. The plate 25 then rotates to bring the tube to a filling station where it is filled from a hopper or other conventional means.

The horizontal tube end wall molding arrangement of Figure 6 operates generally the same as Figures 810, the mold parts of Figure 6 being vertically disposed, and the tubes being horizontal during molding.

The machine of Figure 5 is similar to that of Figure 7 but shows only the molding operation.

I claim: H

l. A combined end structure and dispensing closure for collapsible walledtube's; comprising an annular piece of moldable material sealed directly to the collapsible walls of the tube and having a dispensing passage therein, an integral, rupturable sealing wall' closin g said' passage prior to the initial placing in use, a sealing cap for closing said dispensing passageaft'rthe initial placing in use, and a connection between said cap and said piece to pro tect against loss of said cap, said annular piece, sealing wall, cap and connection being formed integral and wherein said annular piece has an enlarged basepor'tion for receiving'the tubewalls and-"a cylindrical cap receiving" portion, said rupturablesealing wall comprising a dome shaped continuation of said piece at the-outer end of said dispensing passage.'

2. A tube and closure combination comprising -a substantially cylindrical, collapsible walled metallic tube terminated at one end by a fragmentary portion exposing" a central opening; and a one-piece molded plasticclosure consisting of, a first member'located in said central opening and attached in sealing relationship to both the inner and outer walls of said'fragmentary'portion, said first member having an outwardly extendingneck'portion 'con-' taining a passage; and a second member attached to said first member by an integral, flexible" strip, said second member forminga removable'cap to fit over said neckportion of said first member said neck portion'being formed with a bead frictionally to grip the internal periphcry of said second member.

References Cited :in' the "file of thispa'tenf UNITED STATES PATENTS 

